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Bella was demon, and 'It was time for her to die,' mom's boyfriend allegedly says

Rachelle Bond, Michael McCarthy charged in Bella's death

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Updated: 5:31 PM EDT Sep 21, 2015

Bella was demon, and 'It was time for her to die,' mom's boyfriend allegedly says

Rachelle Bond, Michael McCarthy charged in Bella's death

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Updated: 5:31 PM EDT Sep 21, 2015

BOSTON —

A man who was dating the mother of a young toddler found dead on Deer Island thought the 2-year-old girl was a demon and said, “It was time for her to die,” prosecutors alleged as he and the girl’s mother were charged Monday in the death of a girl known as "Baby Doe.”

Prosecutor David Deakin said in late-May, McCarthy went into Bella’s room because she was “unruly,” and did not want to go to sleep. A short time later, Rachelle Bond went into the room and saw that her daughter was unresponsive, Deakin said.

“She found Mr. McCarthy standing over Bella, who was on a bed and the mattress was on the floor, standing over Bella with his hand near her abdomen. When Miss. Bond looked at Bella, her head was swollen, and her face was gray,” Deakin said. “She asked Mr. McCarthy what he had done, he did not tell her but said, ‘She was a demon, and it was her time to die.’”

Deakin said McCarthy believed the child was possessed by demons, and had on previous occasions locked the girl in a closet.

Deakin said McCarthy and Bond shot up heroin and became intoxicated “for a period of several days,” before the couple placed Bella’s body in a bag and dumped it in the water. Her body was later found June 25 on Deer Island.

As the details of the alleged murder were disclosed, Megan Fewtrell, who said she was Bella’s godmother, erupted in anger and was led out of the courtroom.

“I hope you rot in hell, you demon. I hope you (expletive) rot in hell,” she said.

McCarthy was held without bail, and Rachelle Bond was held on $1 million bail. They are due back in court Oct. 20.

Joseph Amoroso, Bella’s biological father, said before court that he came to support the 2-year-old, whom he never met.

"She told me that Michael McCarthy had murdered our daughter, stuffed her in a trash bag and threw her in the ocean in South Boston," Amoroso said.

He also suggested that Rachelle Bond was threatened by McCarthy.

“(Rachelle) did speak of the many threats, day after day for five months,” Amoroso said. “It only makes sense that Rachelle Bond was held captive in the house for five months, because nobody (saw her).”

Millions viewed a composite image of a brown-eyed, chubby-cheeked girl when her body was found June 25 in a trash bag washed up on a Boston-area beach. Authorities released her name Friday.

Amoroso said he has been in Florida for a couple of years and returned to Massachusetts in August hoping to meet his daughter. He said Bond told him last week what happened to their child and stayed with him in Lynn on Thursday night. He said he was questioned Friday. He has not been charged.

Rachelle Bond's sister, Tamera Bond of Gardner, Massachusetts, told NewsCenter 5 that she had been following the case but had no idea the child was Bella. She said she last saw Bella and Rachelle Bond in January.

"I saw the picture but she looked like any brown-eyed baby, cute little girl," Tamera Bond said. "The cheeks of Bella were much chubbier."

Tamara Bond said her sister has had a troubled life, and she wishes Rachelle had reached out to her for help.

Court records obtained by 5 Investigates show Rachelle Bond had a history of drug and prostitution arrests.

Officials from the state's child protection agency said they had contact with Bella twice, for four months in 2012 and three months in 2013. In both cases, officials described the involvement as "support for neglect," and the cases were later closed.

Between 2001 and 2006, the Department of Children and Families terminated parental rights for two of her mother's older children. One of the children was later adopted by her maternal grandmother; the other was adopted by someone outside the family, DCF officials said.

A vigil will be held on Deer Island on Monday night. Gov. Charlie Baker, Speaker Robert DeLeo and Attorney General Maura Healey are expected to attend.